"The Big Bang Theory" is the most popular sitcom, and one of the most popular shows, on television. It's seventh season actually performed better than the NFL Sunday Night Football games on NBC. That makes the news that The Hollywood Reporter reported on Feb. 5 seem strange, as CBS has won the bid to air the first half of NFL Thursday Night Football when "The Big Bang Theory" normally airs.

"The Big Bang Theory" is the most consistent comedy since "Friends," which took over the spot from "Seinfield." All three shows have enjoyed the wonderful success of playing on Thursday nights and it is doubtful that "The Big Bang Theory" will leave Thursday nights at all.

The idea here is that CBS gets Thursday Night Football for just the first eight games of the NFL season and then, just as it has been since the league started playing Thursday night games, the back half will return to cable and the NFL Network.

That means that CBS could just hold off on starting "The Big Bang Theory" and its eighth season for two months, and just promote the upcoming season during the NFL football games, which should bring in monster audiences anyway.

That promotion isn't necessary for "The Big Bang Theory," which is a ratings juggernaut regardless, but could really help when it comes to promoting whatever other shows they plan to air alongside "The Big Bang Theory" on Thursday nights.

As The Hollywood Reporter suggests, this could also be a huge deal for fans because it would mean less space in the holiday season and less reruns while letting the show run at a brisker pace.

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Shawn S. Lealos is a freelance writer with more than 15 years of experience in the media. Shawn graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 2000 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Film & Video Studies. It is in the film department where Shawn learned his true passion, film studies, and he has worked as a film scholar and critic for more than five years now. He is a member of the Professional Oklahoma Film Critics Circle and enjoys all movies, from blockbusters to independent cinema to schlocky B-movies. Feel free to contact Shawn with any questions or comments.